Gary Meers, Ed.D.

About me

I am an Education Advisor/Consultant for MaxKnowledge. I write courses that assist in the professional development of career college instructors. These courses range in content from the introductory level to advanced instructional development. I started my teaching career as an instructional technology teacher on the high school level, completed graduate school and then moved into higher education. I spent many years in the area of teacher training at the University of Nebraska. While at the University of Nebraska I stared working with career college instructors to improve their instructional delivery skills. As a result of these experiences I have been a consultant to career colleges throughout the United States and a number of foreign countries.

Activity

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Understanding Learner Characteristics

Hi Dr. Sansom, Thank you for sharing your insight into how you approach a group of students and identifying their learning preferences. You have given readers of these forums a lot of valuable information from which they can learn and benefit. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Developing Clear Goals and Objectives

Hi Agnes, Good points. Thanks for sharing them with us. In my other life I train people to work with students with disabilities. The two areas of greatest growth are ADHD and autism. The more strategies we can develop and share with each other the more effective we will be in meeting the learning needs of our students especially since so many more ADHD and autistic students are going to college. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Preparing and Delivering Effective Lectures

Hi John, Good suggestions. Thanks for sharing them with us. Some additions strategies one can use are graphics, and case studies. Make a point and then reinforce it with an example through a case study. Students like hearing stories from the field so the more you can connect the content with examples the more powerful your lectures are going to be. Guest speakers really help lectures out as well. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Student Feedback

Hi Joshua, In relation to student feedback that will benefit you, you can use 3X5 cards. Hand them out after the completion of a project or assignment. Have the students answer some questions you ask about their feelings in relation to the assignment. This gives you good insight is easy to collect and lets you adjust your assignments while the students giving the feedback are still in the course. I use this method all the time with good results. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Motivating Learners

Hi Charles, This is what making it real for students is all about. We know the value of good communication and with your strategies you are getting that message across to your students. Keep helping them to connect the dots between English in the classroom and English as a career building skill set in the work world. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Motivating Learners

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Blog

Questioning as a Teaching Technique

Questioning as a teaching technique has been around since the beginning of time. Early education was composed of questioning because survival was based upon asking questions and developing answers. Questions like "How far will a spear fly?" is a good question to ask when hunting an animal that sees you as a part of the food chain. Answers were developed to this question and improvements were made on the spear to the point that the spear became an arrow and the safety range was extended. Then along came gun powder, bullets and other methods of keeping out of harms way… >>>

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Making Your Expectations Clear

Hi Remonica, An instructor that has a well prepared syllabus, gives clear directions and is supportive for students has in deed has been professional. This is what is expected of instructors that are dedicated to being role models for their students. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Expanding Your Instructional Abilities

Hi Elizabeth, Good professional development plan. Always keep your mind open to new ideas and strategies you can use with your classes. You will be surprised at easy it will be to learn about and use the different strategies. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Expanding Your Instructional Abilities

Hi Dana, Way to go in "reading" your students and their learning preferences. No two classes are alike as you know so your adjusting to their specific needs really helps you to customize their instruction. Gary

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